Compositions and formulations used for treating seeds and for foliar treatment of plants are well known.
In this regard U.S. Pat. No. 5,328,942 to Akhtar et al. as well as United Kingdom Patent Application GB 2 095 115 A to Cannan et al. of FMC Corporation are illustrative.
Formulations used for treating seeds and for foliar treatment of plants and contained within water-soluble or water-dispersible containers such as water-soluble or water-dispersible bags or pouches are also well known.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,222,595 and 5,253,759 (both to Gouge et al.) and U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,080,226; 5,139,152 and 5,248,038 (all to Hodakowski et al.) are illustrative in this regard.
To reduce costs, many seed-treatment and foliar-treatment formulators would prefer to be able to use paste formulations instead of conventional, commercially-available liquid formulations, wherein such use of paste formulations results in significant cost savings.
When using water-soluble containers it is highly desirable, of course, that contained formulations include as little water as possible.
While the utilization of a paste formulation tends to result in lesser included amounts of water, a paste formulation tends to disperse slowly.
Yet, it is highly desirable that formulations for treatment of seeds as well as formulations for foliar treatment of plants readily and quickly disperse, preferably uniformly, when combined with water.
Those skilled in the relevant art know, however, that conventional non-aqueous paste formulations are generally not capable of readily and quickly dispersing.
Furthermore, and as those in the relevant art also know full well, the selection of a dispersant or dispersing agent for inclusion in a paste formulation for treatment of seeds or for foliar treatment of plants must be done carefully for several reasons.
For example, while a dispersant, in general, may typically be selected for purposes of providing a certain formulation with a number of desired physical properties, some of which are mentioned herein, the presence of a dispersant or dispersing agent in the paste formulation --because of the surface-charge nature of the dispersant or dispersing agent--may undesirably affect the ability of the formulation to adhere to (i.e. "stick to") a particular seed or plant leaf; and, if the formulation further includes a dye or coloring agent, may undesirably affect the ability of the formulation to uniformly color the seed or leaf that is to be treated.
It would therefore be desirable to have commercially-available a paste formulation which is not only able to disperse readily and quickly in water but which is also able to strongly adhere to and uniformly coat a treated seed or plant leaf.
Put simply, seed-treatment as well as foliar-treatment formulators would mandate a uniform coating of "actives" and coloring agent (if used) on their seed and leaves, wherein the seed-treatment and foliar-treatment coating neither "dusts" (i.e. neither causes formation of dust or other particles) nor rubs off their seed or leaves, neither of which is desirable.
Furthermore, the temperature of the water into which the paste formulation is to be dispersed can be an important consideration.
For example, because certain paste formulations will disperse acceptably in room temperature water, those skilled in the art would perhaps encourage use of warm water to achieve quicker, more uniform dispersion of a particular paste formulation.
A number of conventional seed-treatment and foliar-treatment formulations, however, are sold to applicators who combine the seed-treatment and/or foliar-treatment formulations with water "in the field," generally at times of the year when only cold water is available.
Those skilled in the relevant art can, of course, well appreciate that certain problems come to light when attempts are made to dissolve paste-containing water-soluble bags or pouches in cold water.
It would thus be desirable that there be available in the marketplace a paste formulation--such as for treatment of seeds or foliar treatment of plants--wherein the formulation is able to readily and quickly disperse, preferably uniformly, when combined with cold water.
The foregoing desiderata, as well as other features and advantages of our present invention will become increasingly more readily apparent to those skilled in the relevant art upon reading the following summary and detailed description of our present invention.